(Daily Mi: 11.6) I have picked up a bad bug. Started this AM with a truly unfortunate catholing experience in the rain (no privy at the shelter) and the less said about that the better. Started getting cramps by mid morning which had grown debilitating by early afternoon. Took me almost an hour to make the last mile to shelter. I would walk for five minutes. Stop and wait for the wave of pain and nausea to pass.

In with Brother, Laura, Poppa Husker and a pair of professionals about my age (and boyhood friends) from NC. One of the N.C. boys is determined to start a fire with the soggy pine in the shelter. He manages to get it hot enough to smoulder but not hot enough to outright burn. The lack of heat prevents the smoke from climbing the chimmeny and a thick smut instead fills the stone shelter through the night.